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Reference

Glossary

Every term in this guide, defined clearly and without jargon. Bookmark this page — you'll come back to it.

A

API
Application Programming Interface — a way for software systems to communicate with each other. APIs allow your website to connect to external services like payment processors, email providers, or social media platforms.

B

Back-end
The server-side of a website — the code, database, and logic that users don't see directly. Handles data processing, authentication, and business rules.

C

CDN
Content Delivery Network — a global network of servers that cache and deliver your website's static files (images, CSS, JavaScript) from the location closest to each visitor, reducing load times.
CMS
Content Management System — software that lets non-technical users create and manage website content. WordPress, Drupal, and Ghost are CMS platforms.
CRO
Conversion Rate Optimization — the practice of improving the percentage of website visitors who take a desired action (purchase, sign up, contact).
CSS
Cascading Style Sheets — the language that controls the visual presentation of HTML: colors, fonts, spacing, layout, animations, and responsive behavior.

D

DNS
Domain Name System — the system that translates human-readable domain names (example.com) into IP addresses that computers use to locate servers.
Domain
The human-readable address of a website (e.g., example.com). Registered through domain registrars, typically $10–$50/year.

E

E-commerce
Electronic commerce — selling products or services through a website. Includes product catalogs, shopping carts, payment processing, and order management.

F

Front-end
The client-side of a website — everything the user sees and interacts with in their browser. Built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Full-stack
A developer or framework that handles both front-end and back-end. Full-stack frameworks include Next.js, Rails, Laravel, and Django.

H

Headless CMS
A CMS that manages content but doesn't control how it's displayed. Content is delivered via API, allowing any front-end to consume it.
Hosting
The service that stores your website's files and makes them accessible on the internet. Ranges from $5/month shared hosting to $1,000+/month dedicated infrastructure.
HTML
HyperText Markup Language — the foundational language of every web page. Defines the structure and content: headings, paragraphs, links, images, forms.
HTTPS
HTTP Secure — encrypted communication between browser and server using SSL/TLS certificates. Required for security, SEO, and user trust.

J

JavaScript
The programming language of the web browser. Enables interactivity, dynamic content, animations, and complex application logic. Also used server-side via Node.js.

L

LCP
Largest Contentful Paint — a Core Web Vital measuring how long it takes for the main content of a page to become visible. Target: under 2.5 seconds.

M

MVP
Minimum Viable Product — the simplest version of a product that delivers core value. Used to validate ideas before investing in full development.

N

No-code
Platforms that allow building websites or applications without writing code (e.g., Wix, Bubble, Webflow). Trade flexibility for speed.

O

ORM
Object-Relational Mapping — a layer that lets developers interact with databases using their programming language instead of raw SQL queries.

P

PWA
Progressive Web App — a website that behaves like a native app: installable, works offline, and can send push notifications.

R

Responsive design
Design that adapts to different screen sizes — from mobile phones to desktop monitors — using flexible layouts, media queries, and fluid images.
REST API
A common API architecture style using HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to perform operations on resources. The most widely used API pattern on the web.

S

SaaS
Software as a Service — web-based software sold by subscription. Examples: Slack, Shopify, HubSpot, Notion.
SEO
Search Engine Optimization — the practice of improving a website's visibility in search engine results through technical, content, and authority-building strategies.
SPA
Single-Page Application — a web app that loads once and dynamically updates content without full page reloads. Built with React, Vue, or Angular.
SQL
Structured Query Language — the standard language for querying and managing relational databases like MySQL, PostgreSQL, and SQL Server.
SSL/TLS
Security protocols that encrypt data transmitted between browser and server. SSL certificates enable HTTPS. Free via Let's Encrypt.
SSG
Static Site Generation — building all pages at build time as static HTML files. Fast, secure, and cheap to host. Used by Next.js, Astro, Hugo.
SSR
Server-Side Rendering — generating HTML on the server for each request. Better for SEO and initial load than client-side rendering.

T

Tech stack
The combination of technologies used to build a website: programming languages, frameworks, databases, hosting, and tools.

U

UI
User Interface — the visual elements a user interacts with: buttons, forms, navigation, cards, modals.
UX
User Experience — the overall experience of using a website, including ease of use, accessibility, information architecture, and task completion.

V

Vendor lock-in
When switching away from a platform or service is prohibitively expensive or technically difficult. A major hidden cost in platform selection.

W

WASM
WebAssembly — a binary format that runs near-native-speed code in the browser. Used for performance-critical applications like video editing and CAD tools.
Webhook
An automated HTTP callback triggered by an event. When something happens in one system, it sends data to another system in real-time.
WordPress
The most widely used CMS, powering ~43% of all websites. Open source, PHP-based, with a massive plugin and theme ecosystem.